After the War
by YoungWriterMe
Summary: Moons of fighting have left the clans broken. Twolegs have taken parts of their territory and ranks have grown small as cats were lost to starvation and wounds. But now, there is peace. The clans have made a truce to stop all fighting, but will the peace last? Will the clans be able to recover? Looking for OCs, suggestions. Rated T for violence.
1. Introduction

Note: Hello everyone! As I mention in the summary, this story follows Forestclan, Caveclan, Pondclan, and Heatherclan as they attempt to recover after spending moons at war with each other.

I would LOVE your OCs! I will take OCs for the first two chapters. Make sure to include the _name, she-cat/tom, fur color, eye color, kit/apprentice/warrior/etc., and any distinguishing features/personality traits or relationships._ Keep in mind that the clans are small to start, since many cats died in the fighting, so even if your OC is not used right away, I will use it when new kits are born or cats join the clans! Also, all suggestions are appreciated! As for which territory is where, imagine a map where Forestclan is in the bottom right, Caveclan in the bottom left, Pondclan in the top left, and Heatherclan in the top right. Here are the clans:

Forestclan

 _This clan's territory is covered by dense forest. The cats stalk prey in the undergrowth and catch birds in the trees. Common fur colors for the clan are brown tabby and ginger._

Leader:

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (2):

Warriors (5):

Apprentices (3):

Queens (1):

Kits (4):

Elders (1):

Caveclan

 _Unsurprisingly, this clan lives in a cave in the side of a mountain. Their territory is half pine forest and half mountain, with rocky terrain and occasional cliffs. The cats find prey in many places from mice and squirrels in the forest to birds on the mountain to small fish in the underground river that can be accessed from inside of the cave. Common fur colors are black and gray._

Leader:

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (1):

Warriors (7):

Apprentices (2):

Queens (2):

Kits (5):

Elders (0):

Pondclan

 _The territory for this clan has a large pond (with a river feeding it on one side and a river leading off on the other) that covers nearly a quarter of the total territory. These cats are excellent swimmers and fishers. Common fur colors are gray and white._

Leader:

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (0):

Warriors (5):

Apprentices (4):

Queens (2):

Kits (3):

Elders (2):

Heatherclan

 _The open territory that is home to this clan is mostly meadow with a bit of forest. These cats have long legs for running after rabbits. Common fur colors are tan and white._

Leader:

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (1):

Warriors (8):

Apprentices (3):

Queens (0):

Kits (2):

Elders (3):

 _Prologue_

Four Forestclan kits huddled close together as the clan's only elder laid down, the warm sun a blessing to stiff limbs and aching muscles. _Everything seems to be more difficult everyday,_ the elder thought, looking at the kits. The elder's body was worn and broken after many moons to fighting, attacking and defending, protecting Forestclan for the future generation. _I can only pray to Starclan that these kits will never see what I have seen, go through what I have gone through.._

An impatient kit snapped the elder from their thought. "Are you ever gonna start the story?" the kitten whined.

Another kitten tackled the first over. "Stop being rude!"

The elder chuckled, shaking their head. "Alright, alright. I promised a story and I will make good on that promise." The kittens perked up and fell silent, focused entirely on the cat before them. "Now, when I was your age-"

"You were never our age!" the impatient kitten blurted out. The other kits turned to glare at them and the kitten shrunk to the ground, ears laid back. "Sorry.."

"If I can begin.." the elder purred, amused. Receiving no response, the elder continued. "When I was your age, leafbare was hard, harder than any cat had seen in years…"

" _They're invading! Heatherclan is coming!" a brown tabby she-cat shrieked as she raced into the camp. The Forestclan cats had hardly registered her words when Heatherclan warriors burst through the camp's entrance._

" _Leafstar, the kits!" a gray she-cat wailed as two Heatherclan cats charged toward the nursery._

 _The leader ran after the invaders, his heart pounding hard in his chest. "Forestclan, attack!" His yowl could barely be heard over the sounds of cats fighting, spitting and hissing._

 _A large Forestclan tom let out a grief stricken cry as a small she-cat fell hard to the ground before him. "You killed my apprentice!" he roared, lunging at the Heatherclan cat._

 _A Heatherclan cat darted into the Forestclan medicine den, freezing when he came face to face with Forestclan's medicine cat and his apprentice._

" _You can leave now," the medicine cat said slowly. "I don't want to hurt you."_

 _The medicine cat's apprentice seemed to disagree. With a yowl she threw herself at the larger Heatherclan cat._

" _Stop, Dovepaw! You can't beat him!" the medicine cat demanded._

" _We have to protect the herbs!" Dovepaw shouted back, dodging the Heatherclan cat's claws. It was only a heartbeat before her mentor joined her in the fight._

"Food was scarce as more and more twolegs moved closer to the territories. Even Pondclan was affected, with twolegs taking fish from the lake. Mouths were going unfed, cats were growing thin. Tensions were high. It was at a gathering that everything started." The elder paused, looking from kit to kit. "Some cats thought all of the clans should work together, share food."

"That makes sense!" one kit piped up.

A second kit shook its head quickly. "No way! That's against the warrior code! You have to protect your own clan!"

The elder nodded. "That's how some other cats felt. Then, Pondclan's leader, her name was Minnowstar, she decided that Caveclan and Heatherclan should share their territory so that Pondclan had more room to hunt for land prey. As you can imagine, that didn't go over well."

" _Heatherclan, retreat!" the Heatherclan deputy screeched as a Forestclan apprentice bit down hard on her leg. "Retreat!" Shaking the smaller cat away, she turned and ran._

" _Don't let them escape!" Leafstar ordered, swiping long claws at a Heatherclan warrior. The command was met with mixed reactions, some of horror, some of understanding, some of bloodthirsty glee. But the Forestclan cats followed their leader's words, chasing down the swiftly escaping Heatherclan cats._

" _Harepaw, run! Go! Leave me!" a Heatherclan she-cat snapped at a small tom._

" _I won't leave you! I can't!" Harepaw wailed._

 _The she-cat kicked hard at the stomach of the Forestclan warrior who was pinning her down. "You're my apprentice! Listen to me! Go!"_

 _As the cats approached the border, Forestclan's deputy yelled "Don't follow them over the border!" He prayed to Starclan his clanmates would listen. A senior warrior running nearby had a cold look that screamed revenge. It was understandable as her mate laid dead back at the camp. "Stop at the border!" the deputy repeated._

 _A small Forestclan she-cat tripped in the chase, falling hard and skidding from her momentum._

" _Lilystep!" came a tom's panicked call as he raced to the she-cat's side. The she-cat lay very still, too still. It took a moment for the tom to notice all of the blood. "Oh Starclan, no! Please! Lilystep, please, you can't go! We just became warriors! Don't leave me!"_

 _A larger Forestclan tom stopped beside him. "Thornwhisker. She's gone." His voice was hoarse, his pain seeping into his words. Thornwhisker ignored him, burying his face in Lilystep's fur._

 _The larger tom touched his nose to Thornwhisker's shoulder. "Let me help you get your sister back home…"_

"The fighting lasted for many moons. So many…" The elder was no longer looking at the kits, now staring blankly into the distance, locked in memories. "So many died, from the fighting, from hunger. It was only when the clans realized they faced extinction that the fighting stopped."

"Wha's a truce?" a kit asked, tilting its head to one side. The others look equally confused.

The elder's gaze returned to the young cats. "Basically, all the cats that were left decided they didn't want to fight anymore and promised to stay on their own territory."

The kits thought this over.

"I have a question," mewed one kit who had not yet spoken. "If so many cats died, how are there any left?"

The elder smiled warmly. "In the times before the clans went to war, before territory was lost to twolegs, the clans were much bigger than they are now. When I was born, the clan had almost twenty warriors."

The kits were clearly astounded.

"But that's a story for another day," the elder decided before the kits asked any more questions. "Now run along."


	2. Forestclan 1

Note: Hello! First thing's first: thank you to latchkeyo and Dark thunder for donating OCs to the story! I am still looking for more! Deputies, medicine cats, and pretty much every other position in every clan has openings! Also, please feel free to make suggestions to the plot! I love suggestions!

Forestclan

 _This clan's territory is covered by dense forest. The cats stalk prey in the undergrowth and catch birds in the trees. Common fur colors for the clan are brown tabby and ginger._

Leader: Oakstar _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (2):

Warriors (5):

Sorrelheart _a calico she-cat with amber eyes._ Apprentice: Meadowpaw

Dustflame _a russet tabby tom with amber eyes and very long whiskers._ Apprentice:Nettlepaw

Apprentices (3):

Nettlepaw _a long furred she-cat with amber eyes. Her fur is a swirl of brown and black with hints of white._

Meadowpaw _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Queens (1):

Kits (4):

Elders (1):

Amberfur _a dark ginger tom with yellow-green eyes. He has medium length fur and a cream patch on his muzzle._

Caveclan

 _Unsurprisingly, this clan lives in a cave in the side of a mountain. Their territory is half pine forest and half mountain, with rocky terrain and occasional cliffs. The cats find prey in many places from mice and squirrels in the forest to birds on the mountain to small fish in the underground river that can be accessed from inside of the cave. Common fur colors are black and gray._

Leader: Mousestar _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Deputy:

Medicine Cat: Thornbush _a dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (1):

Warriors (7):

Thicketfur _a pale brown tabby tom with blue eyes._

Bluestream _a dark gray she-cat with green eyes._ Apprentice: Sparkpaw

Apprentices (2):

Sparkpaw _a black and white patched tom cat with hazel eyes._

Queens (2):

Kits (5):

Elders (0):

Pondclan

 _The territory for this clan has a large pond (with a river feeding it on one side and a river leading off on the other) that covers nearly a quarter of the total territory. These cats are excellent swimmers and fishers. Common fur colors are gray and white._

Leader: Rainstar _a white tom with gray patches._ Mate: Dapplepool; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (0):

Warriors (5):

Apprentices (4):

Queens (2):

Dapplepool _a gray she-cat with black and white markings._ Mate: Rainstar; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Kits (3):

Sweetkit _a white and black she-cat._

Splashkit _a black she-cat with a fluffy tail._

Littlekit _a gray tabby tom._

Elders (2):

Heatherclan

 _The open territory that is home to this clan is mostly meadow with a bit of forest. These cats have long legs for running after rabbits. Common fur colors are tan and white._

Leader: Harestar _a tan tom with green eyes._

Deputy:

Medicine Cat: Skycloud _a white tom with long fur and blue eyes._ Apprentice: Poolpaw

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Poolpaw _a classic silver tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Senior warriors (1):

Hawkwing _a lilac point siamese with green eyes and tufts on his ears._ Kits: Wildpaw, Poolpaw

Warriors (8):

Owlclaw _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._ Apprentice: Wildpaw

Apprentices (3):

Wildpaw _a spotted lilac tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Queens (0):

Kits (2):

Poppykit _a chocolate colored tom cat with a white belly and green eyes._

Elders (3):

Cats Outside the Clans

Sting _a large, dark brown tabby top with black stripes, ears, and tail tip._

 _Forestclan_

"Meadowpaw! Meadowpaw, come on!"

Meadowpaw was most assuredly not ready to 'come on'. The warmth of her nest was hard to tear herself away from. She knew that leaving the safety of the den would make her a victim of the cold morning air.

"Meadowpaw!"

The black furred apprentice sighed as her summoner's call became more impatient. She took another moment to stretch before braving the weather. Meadowpaw blinked in the bright sunlight. Even though it was supposed to be newleaf, snow still spotted shady places within the camp.

"Finally!" Nettlepaw mewed, sounding quite exhasparated. Meadowpaw rolled her eyes at her sister overly enthusiastic sister.

Their mentors, Sorrelheart and Dustflame, shared an amused glance. "If we're ready, we should get going," Sorrelheart decided, rising to her paws.

Meadowpaw followed the older cats out of the camp while Nettlepaw was bouncing around her mentor. "Can I go first, Sorrelheart? Can I? Can I?"

"We aren't even there yet," Sorrelheart sighed. Nettlepaw could be quite a pawful.

After a few more minutes of walking, and Nettlepaw continuously asking questions, the small group arrived in the training clearing. Today was the apprentices' first day of battle training.

"Alright Meadowpaw, Nettlepaw, we're going to start with some basic maneuvers," Sorrelheart began. "These are moves we've done in the past but now we're going to see how they work in a fight. To start, let's-"

Sorrelheart stopped mid-sentence, her head swiveling. It took Nettlepaw an extra moment to pick up the Caveclan scent. The training area was near the border, but even strong winds couldn't have carried scent that far. A cat had crossed the border. The training session quickly became a different kind of mission.

"Stay behind us," Dustflame hisses under his breath. With the raised fur and extending claws, Nettlepaw could tell that the warriors were not expecting a peaceful encounter. She and her littermate followed their mentors silently on high alert.

As they approached the border, the intruder appeared. A young black and white tom was crouched low to the ground on Forestclan's side of the border, staring intently at something Nettlepaw couldn't see. Nettlepaw relaxed a bit as she saw Dustflame's fur flatten along his spine. One apprentice was no threat to two trained warriors.

Sorrelheart stepped forward, ready to address the trespasser, but Meadowpaw beat her to it. "What do you think you're doing here?" the black apprentice spit, glaring at the Caveclan cat.

The young tom spun toward the patrol with a startled hiss. "You let it get away!"

Meadowpaw opened her mouth again but quickly closed it when she noticed her mentor's icy glare.

"You are trespassing on Forestclan territory," Sorrelheart informed the Caveclan cat. "What's your name? Where's your mentor?"

Nettlepaw was a bit surprised when Sorrelheart asked about his mentor, but on a second look, the intruder was most definitely an apprentice. He was larger than her by quite a bit but his pelt was still kit fur. They were probably around the same age.

"I'm Sparkpaw and I don't need a mentor," Sparkpaw announced, holding his head high.

Dustflame's eyes rolled. He turned to Sorrelheart and mewed "I'll take him back. Can you take Nettlepaw with you?"

Before Sorrelheart could answer, Nettlepaw blurted out "I want to go with you."

Both warriors looked at her with surprise. Of the two sisters, Meadowpaw was the nosey one, always wanting to be in the know and involved. Nettlepaw was less curious, more trusting of what she is told. Dustflame and Sorrelheart shared a look for a moment before shrugging.

"Alright, Nettlepaw, let's get going," Dustflame decided.

Nettlepaw felt a rush of adrenaline shoot through her. She was going into the heart of another clan's territory! As she hurried after her mentor and the Caveclan apprentice, she could hear Meadowpaw's complaints and Nettlepaw felt a bit smug. Being the softer spoken of the two, it was usually Meadowpaw that went on adventures, but now it was Nettlepaw's turn.

Sparkpaw stopped when they reached the border, his laid back ears betraying his anxiety. Nettlepaw breathed in the smells, Caveclan and Forestclan scent markers strong and mixed together. She couldn't imagine any cat accidentally crossing over.

Sparkpaw glanced at Dustflame. "You can, uh, just leave me here. I know the way. I'm not a dumb kit after all." He tried to seem aloof but the black and white apprentice was clearly unnerved. Nettlepaw supposed she would feel the same if she was caught breaking the rules, being returned by cats from another clan.

Dustflame narrowed his eyes. "Just keep walking," he instructed Sparkpaw. There was no way he was letting the Caveclan apprentice get away with trespassing and attempting to steal prey. Nettlepaw figured that Sorrelheart and Meadowpaw would be back at camp soon, telling Oakstar, and with Meadowpaw probably every cat with ears, what had happened.

Sparkpaw lowered his head and continued on. Before too long the scent of Caveclan became much stronger. Two Caveclan cats appeared suddenly, pelts bristling.

"What do you think you're-" the gray she-cat stopped when she noticed Sparkpaw. Her defensiveness became a mix of anger and confusion.

"It seems you've misplaced something," Dustflame mewed, flicking his tail toward Sparkpaw who looked like he was trying to melt into the ground. The air was full of tension. Even in a time of peace, there are no niceties between the clans. Moons and moons of fighting would not be forgotten so fast.

The spiky furred Caveclan tom simply shook his head while the she-cat turned on the black and white apprentice. "You went over the border?" she spat.

"It was an accident, Bluestream!" Sparkpaw tried to defend himself, standing up a bit more.

Bluestream was unconvinced and quite displeased. "To think you're supposed to be my apprentice. You are such a disappointment."

Nettlepaw felt a bit bad for Sparkpaw. She hoped if she ever did something dumb that Dustflame wouldn't be so harsh. Of course, she would never just wander into another clan's territory.

"We'll take it from here, Dustflame," the brown tabby tom mewed simply.

Dustflame held his gaze for a few moments. "Try to keep track of you clanmates, Thicketfur." It seemed to Nettlepaw that her mentor was looking for a fight but Thicketfur ignored the prod and Bluestream had already started leading Sparkpaw away.

Nettlepaw was silent as they turned and headed back to their own territory, and it seemed Dustflame wasn't interested in a conversation either. When they returned to camp, Meadowpaw bounded up to them. "You're so lucky, Nettlepaw!" she complained. "What happened? Did you get into a fight? Did you see the Caveclan camp?"

"We just dropped him off to his mentor," Nettlepaw replied unenthusiastically. She was secretly thrilled to have gone into Caveclan territory. In a time of peace, most cats never left their territory except for medicine cats.

Dustflame joined Sorrelheart where she was speaking with Oakstar by the leader's den. "Guess we're not training today," Meadowpaw sighed.

Nettlepaw hadn't noticed how much of the day had gone by. It wouldn't be too long before the sun started setting. She glanced toward the camp's entrance, wondering what Sparkpaw was he get punished? He probably deserved it. But it was just a mistake.

"Nettlepaw!" Meadowpaw's irritated hiss yanked her sister from her thoughts. "Are you even listening? Ugh. Whatever. Let's just go see if there's any freshkill left."

With a final glance toward the entrance, Nettlepaw followed her sister.


	3. Caveclan 1

Hello! Thank you to IvyJaylovescandy and Stupidsally35 for the lovely OCs! This will be the last chapter I will accept OCs for the current clans. There are a lot of positions still open! I will, however, continue to accept OCs in the form of future kits and cats outside of the clans (kittypets/loners/rogues). Also, don't forget to leave suggestions on where the story should go! I love input. Here we go~

Forestclan (11 open positions)

 _This clan's territory is covered by dense forest. The cats stalk prey in the undergrowth and catch birds in the trees. Common fur colors for the clan are brown tabby and ginger._

Leader: Oakstar _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._

Deputy:

Medicine Cat: Parsleyfoot _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (1/2):

Lightningclaw _a black and white tom with blue eyes._

Warriors (3/5):

Sorrelheart _a calico she-cat with amber eyes._ Apprentice: Meadowpaw

Dustflame _a russet tabby tom with amber eyes and very long whiskers.._ Apprentice: Nettlepaw

Redwhisker _a dark ginger tom with a white belly and amber eyes._

Apprentices (2/3):

Nettlepaw _a long furred she-cat with amber eyes._

Meadowpaw _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Queens (0/1):

Kits (0/4):

Elders (1/1):

Amberfur _a dark ginger tom with yellow-green eyes._

Caveclan (11 open positions)

 _Unsurprisingly, this clan lives in a cave in the side of a mountain. Their territory is half pine forest and half mountain, with rocky terrain and occasional cliffs. The cats find prey in many places from mice and squirrels in the forest to birds on the mountain to small fish in the underground river that can be accessed from inside of the cave. Common fur colors are black and gray._

Leader: Mousestar _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Deputy: Nightfur _a black and tortoiseshell she-cat with long fur and green eyes._

Medicine Cat: Thornbush _a dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors (0/1):

Warriors (3/7):

Thicketfur _a pale brown tabby tom with blue eyes.._ Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Bluestream _a dark gray she-cat with green eyes._ Apprentice: Sparkpaw

Crowwing _a black tom with amber eyes._

Apprentices (1/2):

Sparkpaw _a black and white patched tom cat with hazel eyes._

Queens (1/2):

Dapplemist _a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes._ Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Kits (2/5):

Mintkit _a brown and white tom with green eyes._

Poppykit _a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes._

Elders (0):

Pondclan (10 open positions)

 _The territory for this clan has a large pond (with a river feeding it on one side and a river leading off on the other) that covers nearly a quarter of the total territory. These cats are excellent swimmers and fishers. Common fur colors are gray and white._

Leader: Rainstar _a white tom with gray patches.._ Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Deputy:

Medicine Cat:

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Crookedstream _a gray tom with green eyes._

Senior warriors (0):

Warriors (2/5):

Graynose _a gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes._

Yarrowheart _a long legged with red fur._

Apprentices (1/4):

Longpaw _a white tom with blue eyes._

Queens (2/2):

Dapplepool _a gray she-cat with black and white markings._ Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Sadheart _a blue gray she-cat with green eyes and a long, fluffy tail._

Kits (3/3):

Sweetkit _a white and black she-cat.._

Splashkit _a black she-cat with a fluffy tail._

Littlekit _a gray tabby tom._

Elders (0/2):

Heatherclan (11 open positions)

 _The open territory that is home to this clan is mostly meadow with a bit of forest. These cats have long legs for running after rabbits. Common fur colors are tan and white._

Leader: Harestar _a tan tom with green eyes._

Deputy:

Medicine Cat: Skycloud _a white tom with long fur and blue eyes. He rarely shows emotion._ Apprentice: Poolpaw

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Poolpaw _a classic silver tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Senior warriors (1/1):

Hawkwing _a lilac point siamese with green eyes and tufts on his ears._ Kits: Wildpaw, Poolpaw

Warriors (2/8):

Owlclaw _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._ Apprentice: Wildpaw

Birdsong _a brown, black, and white she-cat with brown eyes._ Apprentice: Hawkpaw

Apprentices (2/3):

Wildpaw _a spotted lilac tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Hawkpaw _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Queens (0):

Kits (2/2):

Poppykit _a chocolate colored tom cat with a white belly and green eyes._

Rabbitkit _a chocolate tabby tom with green eyes._

Elders (0/3):

Cats Outside the Clans

Sting _a large, dark brown tabby top with black stripes, ears, and tail tip._

 _Caveclan_

Thicketfur glanced around the quiet camp, taking in the day. The day before, drama had taken over the clan. Sparkpaw had been caught trespassing on Forestclan territory. The fragile peace between the clans didn't need any more stress. Bluestream, Sparkpaw's mentor, had really laid into the young cat. Mousestar decided to confine him to the camp for the next moon and forbid him from going to the gathering. Bluestream had tried to convince the leader to give a harsher punishment.

Many cats in the clan were not fans of the black and white apprentice. His mother abandoned the clan in favor of being with Sparkpaw's father, a loner. She hadn't even asked Sparkpaw if he wanted to go with her, leaving her kit as Caveclan's responsibility. On top of that, Sparkpaw had a less than ideal personality. He acted like he was better than any cat which got under everyone's skin.

A soft mewling came from across the camp and Thicketfur moved quickly to his paws, hurrying toward the nursery. Inside, Dapplemist was grooming two tiny kittens. He licked his mate's ear, purring softly. Thicketfur had never thought of being a father and he was quite unsure when Dapplemist told him she was going to have kits. He tried to do what he thought was right but he was a little awkward around the kits.

"How are you?" Thicketfur mewed, watching the kits squirm. He dipped his head for a closer look and jumped when Mintkit reached up with a tiny paw to bat at his nose.

A laugh rumbled in Dapplemist's chest. "I'm fine, we're all fine. But honestly, I could use a bit of a break. Would you mind watching them for a little bit?" When she saw the panic in his eyes she added, "They should just sleep. And I won't leave the camp, okay?"

Thicketfur was a bit surprised that Dapplemist would trust him with the kits. Not that there was a reason she shouldn't, but she was very protective of them, rarely taking her eyes off them for a more than a few moments.

Before he could answer, Mousestar's voice rang out. "All those old enough to catch their own prey, gather here below the great rock for a clan meeting!"

Thicketfur was partly relieved, but he also felt guilty that his mate wouldn't get a break.

"It's fine," Dapplemist mewed, shaking her head. "Go on, you can't make Mousestar wait."

The spiky furred tom touched his nose briefly to his mate's ear before returning to the camp. The rest of the clan was already gathered below the leader.

"Tonight is the gathering," Mousestar was saying as Thicketfur took a seat beside his sister, Thornbush. "The cats who will be attending are Thornbush, Thicketfur, Bluestream, and Sparkpaw."

An uneasy murmur rose from the clan. Only the day before Mousestar had banned Sparkpaw from attending the gathering. Before any cat could object, Mousestar leaped from the rock and disappeared into her den.

Bluestream glared at her shocked looking apprentice but said nothing, turning sharply and bounding from the camp. It was no surprise that the leader had allowed him to go, being his grandmother, but the rest of the clan were not pleased with Sparkpaw's special treatment.

With his mentor gone, Sparkpaw held his head high, looking quite pleased with himself. Thicketfur shook his head. The young tom's pride always got the best of him.

Later in the day, Mousestar gathered the patrol together that would be going to the gathering. Thicketfur, Thornbush, Bluestream, and Sparkpaw followed her out of the camp, silent and tense. Sparkpaw was darting all over, stubbornly ignoring his mentors snaps to stay with the group. It was no secret that Bluestream did not want Sparkpaw as her apprentice, but she still tried to do her job, even if she wasn't the kindest and most supporting.

The gathering place was in a clearing where all four clan territories met. Caveclan was the third to arrive. Thicketfur paused at the edge of the clearing. Pondclan and Heatherclan were waiting, each clan keeping to themselves. There was no mingling between the clans. There may be a truce between the clans, doubly enforced by the rules of a gathering, but there were still hard feelings from the war.

Mousestar leaped up onto the huge fallen tree beside Pondclan's Rainstar and Heatherclan's Harestar. A moment later, Forestclan entered the clearing. The altercation from the day before had heightened tensions between Forestclan and Caveclan.

"So this is how you punish your apprentices, huh?" a ginger tom from Forestclan sneered.

Thicketfur knew it was best to keep quiet, as was best in most conflict, but others in his clan were not as sensible. "Why don't you worry about your own apprentice?" Bluestream spit, the let out a cruel laugh. "Oh wait, you can't!"

The quiet clearing became immediately silent. While the apprentices and young warriors might not know, everyone else knew that at the end of the time of fighting, Redwhisker's apprentice had been killed in a battle. While prodding at cats from other clans was not abnormal, Bluestream had gone too far, and from the look on her face, she knew that.

The normally easy going tom's claws slid from their sheaths and a low growl rumbled in his chest.

Oakstar, who had not even made it to the leader's tree, moved quickly to the warrior's side. "Redwhisker, it's not worth it…" he mewed softly, brushing his tail across the warrior's back. Redwhisker's fur began to flatten and his claws disappeared. The fury in the tom's eyes became devastating heartbreak.

Bluestream slunk away, moving to sit on the opposite side of her clanmates, as far away from Forestclan as possible. The fragile peace had almost broken. Thicketfur shared as uneasy glance with his sister who was sitting at the edge of the clearing with the other medicine cats.

When Oakstar was finally perched with the other leaders, Harestar began to speak. "Heatherclan continues to grow in strength." With that simple statement, the tan tom stepped back.

"Pondclan is well and also growing strong," Rainstar mewed, not bothering to stand. Every cat knew that 'growing strong' in Pondclan involved taking in nonclan cats. Pondclan had lost a lot of warriors in the battles of late, and with only a few kits born each year, Rainstar was seeking other ways to strengthen their ranks.

Now was Mousestar's turn. "Prey is running well in Caveclan," the she-cat mewed, glancing at Oakstar as if daring the older tom to speak. "One of our queens has had two healthy kits."

"Forestclan is strong as ever," came Oakstar's deep voice. "We will be doubling our border patrols." He met Mousestar's gaze evenly. "And one of our queens has delivered four healthy kits."

The Forestclan cats seemed to sit up straighter. Four healthy kits meant four future warriors, and every clan needed more.

With that, the leaders descended and began to lead their clans back to their camps. Thicketfur began to follow his clanmates when he noticed Sparkpaw with Heatherclan's medicine cat's warrior frowned a bit. When Sparkpaw noticed Thicketfur watching him, he stood and followed the rest of the clan, acting like nothing had happened.


	4. Pondclan 1

Note: I uploaded the wrong chapter. I am so terribly sorry. Here is the correct chapter. A huge thank you to latchkeyo for catching my dumb mistake. If anyone has questions about anything related to the story or OCs, feel free to PM me directly for the quickest response.

Hello! Thank you to DappledleafTheBootiful, Ellabellu, FrostshineTheOtakuCat, latchkeyo, Random Fan's Sis, and Plutodragon for the lovely OCs! As of chapter 3, as I have mentioned before, I will _not_ be accepting OCs for clan cats. I will, however, accept rogues, loners, kittypets, and future kits. I also need ideas for where the plot should go! Main plot and side plots!

CHARACTERS AS OF CHAPTER 4

Forestclan

 _This clan's territory is covered by dense forest. The cats stalk prey in the undergrowth and catch birds in the trees. Common fur colors for the clan are brown tabby and ginger._

Leader: Oakstar _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._

Deputy: Quailfeather _a brown and white tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes._ Kits: Bloomtuft, Nettlepaw, Meadowpaw

Medicine Cat: Parsleyfoot _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors:

Lightningclaw _a black and white tom with blue eyes._

Gooseleaf _a gray tom with darker speckles._

Warriors:

Redwhisker _a dark ginger tom with a white belly and amber eyes._ Mate: Mousetail; Kits: Adderkit, Jaykit, Lichenkit

Sorrelheart _a calico she-cat with amber eyes._ Apprentice: Meadowpaw

Dustflame _a russet tabby tom with amber eyes and very long whiskers._ Apprentice: Nettlepaw

Bloomtuft _a white and ginger tabby tom with blue eyes._

Apprentices:

Nettlepaw _a long furred she-cat with amber eyes. Her fur is a swirl of brown and black with hints of white._

Meadowpaw _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Queens:

Mousetail _a skinny brown she-cat with a very thin tail._ Mate: Redwhisker; Kits:Adderkit, Jaykit, Lichenkit

Kits:

Timidkit _a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes._

Adderkit _a brown tabby tom._

Jaykit _a black she-cat._

Lichenkit _a brown and white tabby tom._

Elders:

Amberfur _a dark ginger tom with yellow-green eyes. He has medium length fur and a cream patch on his muzzle._

Caveclan

 _Unsurprisingly, this clan lives in a cave in the side of a mountain. Their territory is half pine forest and half mountain, with rocky terrain and occasional cliffs. The cats find prey in many places from mice and squirrels in the forest to birds on the mountain to small fish in the underground river that can be accessed from inside of the cave. Common fur colors are black and gray._

Leader: Mousestar _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Deputy: Nightfur _a black and tortoiseshell she-cat with long fur and green eyes. Her face is split down the middle, half black and half tortoiseshell._ Mate: Riverfoot

Medicine Cat: Thornbush _a dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors:

Minkpelt _a dark brown she-cat._

Warriors:

Thicketfur _a pale brown tabby tom with blue eyes._ Mate: Dapplemist; Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Bluestream _a dark gray she-cat with green eyes._ Apprentice: Sparkpaw

Crowwing _a black tom with amber eyes._

Riverfoot _a blue gray tom cat._ Mate: Nightfur

Dappledleaf _a tortoiseshell she-cat._ Mate: Redshadow

Muddypelt _a white tom with brown patches._ Mate: Sweetpoppy; Kits: Treekit, Stonekit, Lizardkit

Redshadow _a red tom with black markings._ Mate: Dappledleaf

Apprentices:

Sparkpaw _a black and white patched tom cat with hazel eyes._

Queens:

Dapplemist _a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes._ Mate: Thicketfur; Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Sweetpoppy _a white she-cat with gray speckles._ Mate: Muddypelt; Kits: Treekit, Stonekit, Lizardkit

Kits:

Mintkit _a brown and white tom with green eyes._

Poppykit _a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes._

Treekit _a brown tom with white markings._

Stonekit _a gray tabby tom with a white chest._

Lizardkit _a black tom with white markings._

Elders:

Pondclan

 _The territory for this clan has a large pond (with a river feeding it on one side and a river leading off on the other) that covers nearly a quarter of the total territory. These cats are excellent swimmers and fishers. Common fur colors are gray and white._

Leader: Rainstar _a white tom with gray patches._ Mate: Dapplepool; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Deputy: Dewstorm _a silver she-cat with blue eyes and white on her tail tip, paws, and belly._ Mate: Cloudfur; Apprentice: Longpaw

Medicine Cat: Dewleaf _a blue gray tabby she-cat with blue green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Crookedstream _a gray tom with green eyes._

Senior warriors:

Warriors:

Graynose _a gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes._ Apprentice: Gorsepaw

Yarrowheart _a long legged with red fur. He has gray spots on his back and one ear is darker than the rest of his fur._ Mate: Sadheart; Apprentice: Driftpaw

Echosplash _a blue gray tabby she-cat with blue green eyes._ Apprentice: Saltpaw

Frostshine _a dark gray she-cat with light gray specks, a white belly, and blue eyes._

Cloudfur _a gray tom with sliverish gray eyes._ Mate: Dewcloud

Apprentices:

Longpaw _a white tom with blue eyes._

Driftpaw _a lilac marbled tabby tom with green eyes and long whiskers._

Gorsepaw _a lilac and white she-cat with green eyes and a long tail._

Seapaw _a white she-cat with gray speckles._

Queens:

Dapplepool _a gray she-cat with black and white markings._ Mate: Rainstar; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Sadheart _a blue gray she-cat with green eyes and a long, fluffy tail._ Mate: Yarrowheart

Kits:

Sweetkit _a white and black she-cat._

Splashkit _a black she-cat with a fluffy tail._

Littlekit _a gray tabby tom._

Elders:

Turtleblossom _a gray she-cat._

Riverfur _a gray she-cat._

Heatherclan

 _The open territory that is home to this clan is mostly meadow with a bit of forest. These cats have long legs for running after rabbits. Common fur colors are tan and white._

Leader: Harestar _a tan tom with green eyes._

Deputy: Hazelnutpelt _a brown and tan tom._ Mate: Birdsong

Medicine Cat: Skycloud _a white tom with long fur and blue eyes._ Apprentice: Poolpaw

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Poolpaw _a classic silver tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Senior warriors:

Hawkwing _a lilac point siamese with green eyes and tufts on his ears._ Kits: Wildpaw, Poolpaw

Warriors:

Owlclaw _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._ Apprentice: Wildpaw

Birdsong _a brown, black, and white she-cat with brown eyes._ Mate: Hazelnutpelt; Apprentice: Hawkpaw

Lionroar _a golden tom._

Morningsun _a cream she-cat._ Apprentice: Torrentpaw

Sootypelt _a dark gray she-cat with hazel eyes and a fluffy tail._ Kits: Torrentpaw

Lilypetal _a tan she-cat._

Apprentices:

Wildpaw _a spotted lilac tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Hawkpaw _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Torrentpaw _a gray tabby tom with large, golden eyes._

Queens:

Kits:

Poppykit _a chocolate colored tom cat with a white belly and green eyes._

Rabbitkit _a chocolate tabby tom with green eyes._

Elders:

Badgerspots _a gray and white tom._

Rosefur _a white she-cat._

Oatpelt _a white and tan tom._

Cats Outside the Clans

Sting {tail} _a large, dark brown tabby top with black stripes, ears, and tail tip._

 _Pondclan_

"Imma get you, Littlekit!" Splashkit giggled as she bounded across the camp, darting between warriors' paws.

"Never!" Littlekit shouted, diving into the nursery. He crashed almost immediately into their third littermate, Sweetkit.

Sweetkit let out a squeak as she was tumbled over. Getting back to her paws, she frowned at her brother. "That hurt. You should be more careful, Littlekit."

"It wasn't all my fault! Splashkit was chasing me!" he tried to object.

The trio's mother, Dapplepool, smiled as her kits argued. "Now, now, that's enough of that. Littlekit, say sorry."

The gray tabby kit dipped his head. "Sorry…"

On the other side of the nursery, expectant queen, Sadheart, watched the kits anxiously. But she was always worried about something, always fearing the worst. Dapplepool noticed the other queen's worried gaze and resisted the urge to sigh. "They're fine, Sadheart."

Sadheart's original name when she was born was not Sadkit. After a raid on the camp by Caveclan, and both her sister, Minnowkit, and her father were killed, she fell into a deep depression. Her mother, not the most motherly she-cat, got fed up with the mopey kit and spitefully changed her name. It was a fitting name, even if it wasn't the kindest.

Littlekit, Splashkit, and Sweetkit didn't notice the interaction between the queens, though, as they had already resumed their play in the main part of the camp.

The kits' father, Rainstar, watched the kits play from a distance. He smiled just a bit as the kittens chased each other around the camp. But he couldn't take time to be a father and join in the fun. The young leader had much to worry about.

When he became leader of the clan, the total headcount was only only a dozen. They received the worst devastation of the clans. Since the beginning of his reign, Rainstar's focus was on growing the clan is size and strength. He had started recruiting rogues and loners into the ranks, a fact not appreciated by the other clans. Rainstar had managed to recruit almost half a dozen cats from outside of the clans.

A speckled gray she-cat led a patrol into the camp, each carrying freshkill. Frostshine was one of these loners. Rainstar narrowed his eyes slightly as she briefly touched muzzles with Yarrowheart, his sister Sadheart's mate. Since she had joined, Frostshine had been growing closer to the tom, which Rainstar kept note of.

He didn't have time to linger on the concerningly close friends, though, as his deputy, Dewstorm, approached. "Rainstar," she mewed, dipping her head respectfully. "I've found a cat you might like to meet."

A moment's complentation and Rainstar agreed to follow Dewstorm toward the border. The border they were headed toward was not one which was shared with another clan. On the other side of this particular border was thick forest, beyond which there was a large twoleg place. A large, dark brown tabby sat on the edge of Pondclan territory.

"Rainstar," Dewstorm mewed as they approached, "This is Sting."

Unknown to their clanmates, Dewstorm sometimes crossed the border in search of new members for the clan. Rainstar knew that his kind-hearted deputy didn't like going over the border, but she was too polite to object, and he was desperate to raise their ranks. He made a mental note to tell her she didn't have to go anymore as the clan was growing on its own. His mate had brought three kits for the clan just over three moons ago and his sister, Sadheart, was close to kitting.

"Sting is interested in joining the clan," Dewstorm continued.

The rogue tom certainly did not look like a Pondclan cat. His brown fur and large muscles made him more of a Forestclan or Caveclan cat. But appearance means nothing in the end. "Why do you want to join?" Rainstar asked.

Sting shrugged a bit. "I used to live with a group, back in the twoleg place, and it was nice. I'd like to be part of something again."

Rainstar smiled. "Excellent. Let's go on a tour, shall we?"


	5. Heatherclan 1

Note: Hello! If you've made it this far into the story, thank you very much for reading! Reminder: as of the addition of chapter 4, clans are _not_ accepting new members. You can still leave OCs for nonclan cats and ideas for future kits!

Quick poll: what should happen next? 1) something with twolegs 2) something with nonclan cats 3) something related to nature

Also, feel free to leave ideas for the names of Sadheart and Yarrowheart's kits!

One last question: should I keep including the updated clan lists? Or maybe once every few chapters? Let me know!

Feedback is appreciated! Here we go~

Forestclan

 _This clan's territory is covered by dense forest. The cats stalk prey in the undergrowth and catch birds in the trees. Common fur colors for the clan are brown tabby and ginger._

Leader: Oakstar _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._

Deputy: Quailfeather _a brown and white tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes._ Kits: Bloomtuft, Nettlepaw, Meadowpaw

Medicine Cat: Parsleyfoot _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors:

Lightningclaw _a black and white tom with blue eyes._

Gooseleaf _a gray tom with darker speckles._

Warriors:

Redwhisker _a dark ginger tom with a white belly and amber eyes.._ Mate: Mousetail; Kits: Adderkit, Jaykit, Lichenkit

Sorrelheart _a calico she-cat with amber eyes._ Apprentice: Meadowpaw

Dustflame _a russet tabby tom with amber eyes and very long whiskers._ Apprentice: Nettlepaw

Bloomtuft _a white and ginger tabby tom with blue eyes._

Apprentices:

Nettlepaw _a long furred she-cat with amber eyes._

Meadowpaw _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Queens:

Mousetail _a skinny brown she-cat with a very thin tail._ Mate: Redwhisker; Kits:Adderkit, Jaykit, Lichenkit

Kits:

Timidkit _a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes._

Adderkit _a brown tabby tom._

Jaykit _a black she-cat._

Lichenkit _a brown and white tabby tom._

Elders:

Amberfur _a dark ginger tom with yellow-green eyes._

Caveclan

 _Unsurprisingly, this clan lives in a cave in the side of a mountain. Their territory is half pine forest and half mountain, with rocky terrain and occasional cliffs. The cats find prey in many places from mice and squirrels in the forest to birds on the mountain to small fish in the underground river that can be accessed from inside of the cave. Common fur colors are black and gray._

Leader: Mousestar _a black she-cat with amber eyes._

Deputy: Nightfur _a black and tortoiseshell she-cat with long fur and green eyes.._ Mate: Riverfoot

Medicine Cat: Thornbush _a dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Senior warriors:

Minkpelt _a dark brown she-cat._

Warriors:

Thicketfur _a pale brown tabby tom with blue eyes._ Mate: Dapplemist; Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Bluestream _a dark gray she-cat with green eyes._ Apprentice: Sparkpaw

Crowwing _a black tom with amber eyes._

Riverfoot _a blue gray tom cat._ Mate: Nightfur

Dappledleaf _a tortoiseshell she-cat._ Mate: Redshadow

Muddypelt _a white tom with brown patches._ Mate: Sweetpoppy; Kits: Treekit, Stonekit, Lizardkit

Redshadow _a red tom with black markings._ Mate: Dappledleaf

Apprentices:

Sparkpaw _a black and white patched tom cat with hazel eyes._

Queens:

Dapplemist _a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes._ Mate: Thicketfur; Kits: Mintkit, Poppykit

Sweetpoppy _a white she-cat with gray speckles._ Mate: Muddypelt; Kits: Treekit, Stonekit, Lizardkit

Kits:

Mintkit _a brown and white tom with green eyes._

Poppykit _a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes._

Treekit _a brown tom with white markings._

Stonekit _a gray tabby tom with a white chest._

Lizardkit _a black tom with white markings._

Elders:

Pondclan

 _The territory for this clan has a large pond (with a river feeding it on one side and a river leading off on the other) that covers nearly a quarter of the total territory. These cats are excellent swimmers and fishers. Common fur colors are gray and white._

Leader: Rainstar _a white tom with gray patches._ Mate: Dapplepool; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Deputy: Dewstorm _a silver she-cat with blue eyes and white on her tail tip, paws, and belly._

Medicine Cat: Dewleaf _a blue gray tabby she-cat with blue green eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Crookedstream _a gray tom with green eyes._

Senior warriors:

Warriors:

Graynose _a gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes._ Apprentice: Gorsepaw

Yarrowheart _a long legged with red fur._ Mate: Sadheart; Apprentice: Driftpaw

Echosplash _a blue gray tabby she-cat with blue green eyes._ Apprentice: Saltpaw

Frostshine _a dark gray she-cat with light gray specks, a white belly, and blue eyes._

Cloudfur _a gray tom with sliverish gray eyes._ Mate: Dewcloud

Stingtail _a large, dark brown tabby top with black stripes, ears, and tail tip._

Apprentices:

Longpaw _a white tom with blue eyes._

Driftpaw _a lilac marbled tabby tom with green eyes and long whiskers._

Gorsepaw _a lilac and white she-cat with green eyes and a long tail._

Seapaw _a white she-cat with gray speckles._

Queens:

Dapplepool _a gray she-cat with black and white markings._ Mate: Rainstar; Kits: Sweetkit, Splashkit, Littlekit

Sadheart _a blue gray she-cat with green eyes and a long, fluffy tail._ Mate: Yarrowheart

Kits:

Sweetkit _a white and black she-cat._

Splashkit _a black she-cat with a fluffy tail._

Littlekit _a gray tabby tom._

Elders:

Turtleblossom _a gray she-cat._

Riverfur _a gray she-cat._

Heatherclan

 _The open territory that is home to this clan is mostly meadow with a bit of forest. These cats have long legs for running after rabbits. Common fur colors are tan and white._

Leader: Harestar _a tan tom with green eyes._

Deputy: Hazelnutpelt _a brown and tan tom._ Mate: Birdsong

Medicine Cat: Skycloud _a white tom with long fur and blue eyes._

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Poolpaw _a classic silver tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Senior warriors:

Hawkwing _a lilac point siamese with green eyes and tufts on his ears._ Kits: Wildpaw, Poolpaw

Warriors:

Owlclaw _a brown tabby tom with green eyes._ Apprentice: Wildpaw

Birdsong _a brown, black, and white she-cat with brown eyes._ Mate: Hazelnutpelt; Apprentice: Hawkpaw

Lionroar _a golden tom._

Morningsun _a cream she-cat._ Apprentice: Torrentpaw

Sootypelt _a dark gray she-cat with hazel eyes and a fluffy tail._ Kits: Torrentpaw

Lilypetal _a tan she-cat._

Apprentices:

Wildpaw _a spotted lilac tabby she-cat with green eyes._

Hawkpaw _a brown tabby tom with white patches and blue eyes._

Torrentpaw _a gray tabby tom with large, golden eyes._

Queens:

Kits:

Poppykit _a chocolate colored tom cat with a white belly and green eyes._

Rabbitkit _a chocolate tabby tom with green eyes._

Elders:

Badgerspots _a gray and white tom._

Rosefur _a white she-cat._

Oatpelt _a white and tan tom._

Cats Outside the Clans

Cookie _a brindle tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes and a white muzzle._

Moxie _a white she-cat with black patches._

Rain _a gray tom with green eyes._

Baymax _a gray tabby tom with golden yellow eyes and a white belly._

Bullwinkle _a faded calico she-cat with green eyes._

Jo Jo _a ginger tabby tom._

 _Heatherclan_

Every hair on Wildpaw's pelt was prickling with excitement. She had just finished her apprentice examination, and while her mentor hadn't said anything specific, Wildpaw felt she had done quite well. Owlclaw was a fantastic mentor after all. She watched as he headed toward the nursery, probably to check on Poppykit and Rabbitkit. He had found the two when they were barely a day old and had continued to check up on them. It was fortunate that Sootypelt could care for them, since Torrentpaw was still in the nursery at the time.

Wildpaw had heard more than one cat gossiping about the kits' origin, how it was suspicious that the dark brown warrior would happen upon two kits that looked a lot like him. Especially with his reputation for being a charmer. Wildpaw didn't personally care whether or not the rumors were true.

"Hey Wildpaw!" the call pulled her from her thoughts. Torrentpaw was trotting toward her with his usual bright expression. "How did it go?"

Before Wildpaw had the chance to answer, another voice answered for her.

"Oh, I'm sure she was perfect, just like always," came Poolpaw's sickly sweet purr. "Perfect little Wildpaw, never making a single mistake."

Wildpaw kept her eyes trained on Torrentpaw. She knew that responding to her sister's provocation would just make it worse. Poolpaw would act like Wildpaw was being mean, and the half of the clan still thought that Poolpaw was innocent and kind would scold her. After living at her side for more than twelve moons, Wildpaw knew otherwise.

"Guess I'll have to wait and see," Wildpaw finally managed. Thinking fast she added, "Want to practice some battle moves, Torrentpaw?" Poolpaw was the medicine cat's apprentice so she wouldn't be able to participate which hopefully meant that she'd leave them alone.

Wildpaw was speechless when Skycloud had announced that Poolpaw would be his apprentice, and she wasn't the only one. She knew that Poolpaw had somehow tricked the medicine cat but she didn't know how. And more importantly, Wildpaw couldn't figure out why her sister wanted to become a medicine cat. Poolpaw never did anything unless she had a reason.

Poolpaw rolled her eyes. "Have fun," she half hissed under her breath, turning back toward the medicine den.

Skycloud sighed internally as he saw his apprentice approaching. The young she-cat had spend more than half of her life training under him and it seemed she knew nothing. The long furred tom hadn't chosen her as his apprentice, Harestar had. The leader had come to him one morning after finding a small pool of rainwater right outside of his den, which he decided was a sign from Starclan. What Harestar didn't know was that Skycloud had seen Poolpaw lingering around the leader's den the night before, not that the tan tom would believe him. So Skycloud accepted her as an apprentice.

"Hello Skycloud," Poolpaw greeted him sweetly.

"Are you here for your lesson?" Skycloud asked, not bothering to return her greeting. He knew her answer before she even spoke.

"I'm actually not feeling too good today," the silver she-cat replied. She used to at least act sick in the beginning. If another cat were to approach, Poolpaw would surely start coughing or complaining about her stomach.

"I'm going out," Skycloud mewed, walking past her.

Hawkwing watched the brief conversation between the medicine cats, feeling a bit of disappointment when Skycloud departed. While the tom had never expected his daughter to be chosen as a medicine cat apprentice, he had hoped that it might inspire her to make a change. Poolpaw had always been difficult, even as a kit. She could act like a cat's best friend one minute and then tell everyone else their most precious secret the next.

 _I wish you were still here, Mudsplash,_ Hawkwing thought, looking up at the sky. _Maybe you would've done a better job with her._ Poolpaw and Wildpaw's mother had died of illness when they were still in the nursery.

As if sensing that he was thinking about her, Poolpaw turned and met her father's gaze from across the camp. Her green eyes were just like her mother's. Hawkwing turned his head away. It was too painful.

Poolpaw's ears drooped, just a bit, and if a cat hadn't been paying attention, they wouldn't have even noticed. She turned and moved further into the den.


End file.
